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Dave Villwock (Spirit of Qatar Team) - 65 Wins & counting

Wednesday, 09 November 2011 01:22

Since 1992, Dave Villwock has won a total of 65 first-place trophies (through San Diego 2011). Among Unlimited hydroplane drivers, only the late Bill Muncey (with 62) and the retired Chip Hanauer (with 61) are even close to Villwock’s record.

Dave won the very first Unlimited race that he ever drove (San Diego 1992). No one had done this since Howie Benns in 1974.

Dave has scored his victories driving for the COORS DRY, PICO AMERICAN DREAM, MISS BUDWEISER, and MISS E-LAM PLUS/SPIRIT OF QATAR teams.

Records are made to be broken, or they cease to have meaning.

Muncey won his first race in 1956 and took over the lead in total victories in 1962, when he surpassed Danny Foster who won 14 races between 1946 and 1955.

Hanauer won his first race in 1979 and retired in 1999 when he was one victory short of Muncey’s total. Chip would have equaled Bill’s accomplishment if he hadn’t jumped the gun (by less than one second) in the Final Heat at Evansville, Indiana, in 1999.

Villwock also leads in another important category. And that is winning percentage. He has 65 wins in 130 races. That’s a percentage of .500, the highest of any driver in the post-World War II era, as indicated below:

1-DAVE VILLWOCK - 65 wins in 130 races – .5001992-2011

2-CHIP HANAUER – 61 wins in 160 races – .3811976-1999

3-GEORGE HENLEY – 12 wins in 34 races – .3531970-1975

4-RON MUSSON – 16 wins in 47 races – .3401959-1966

5-DEAN CHENOWETH – 25 wins in 75 races – .3331968-1982

6-JIM KROPFELD – 22 wins in 66 races – .3331982-1990

7-BILL MUNCEY – 62 wins in 191 races – .3251950-1981

8-JACK REGAS – 9 wins in 28 races – .3211954-1968

9-DANNY FOSTER – 14 wins in 45 races – .3111946-1965

10-BILL STEAD – 9 wins in 30 races – .3001953-1959

The above statistics reflect only those drivers with 20 or more major race appearances. A major race is defined as one being scheduled for a minimum of two heats with at least four Unlimited hydroplanes making a legal start. Not included are secondary races, exhibition races, and races conducted elsewhere than the United States, Canada, Mexico, or Qatar.